Kiran Raj clarifies ‘lion attack’ video that left fans worried for his safety, calls out those spreading misinformation

Kannada actor Kiran Raj posted a video of lions named Roger and Rocky, one of which seemed to charge towards him even as a trained tried to control it.

Kannada actor Kiran Raj recently left fans worried after he posted a video with lions on Instagram. One of the videos showed a lion charging at him even as a handler tried to control it. Fans were worried for his safety as the video soon circulated on social media, claiming that he was ‘attacked’ by a lion. He posted a video to clarify what happened, asking his followers not to spread misinformation.

A video of a lion 'attacking' Kiran Raj was recently circulated on social media.

Kiran Raj clarifies lion ‘attack’ video

Assuring fans that he was alright, Kiran claimed that he had known the lion that charged at him since he was a cub. “I uploaded a video where I am training with a lion, Rocky. So, for an upcoming project, I want to train with him. I want to get friendly with him,” he explained, adding, “Because of that, I have started my training now. I had posted a glimpse of it. I already saw that it has been shared on a few pages.”

Kiran then called out those spreading misinformation and added, “Please do not spread it by adding different captions, or in a different way, by adding different background music to it. It’s creating panic and misinformation. It’s a very safe atmosphere because I have played with Rocky since he was young. I have a little bond with him, it’s completely safe. All safety precautions are also in place. So, thank you for the concern.”

The video everyone’s talking about

Kiran posted pictures and videos of himself interacting with two lions named Rocky and Roger. Posting it, he wrote, “DAY 1 of learning how to train a lion. Roger and rocky we will be friends soon. Lesson- day 1. Lion always try to make you fall, so always lean towards something strong. Always keep the face towards the lion even if moving away. Lions can read your eyes. They love to hug you and cuddle.”

One picture shows him with a handler, all smiles, posing with the lions; another shows them petting the lions as they nuzzle the handler. But the video everyone’s talking about shows Kiran walking away from the lion. But the lion charges at him from behind and takes a swipe even as the handler tries to control the situation. The actor can be seen running towards the exit gate, but is body slammed by the lion.

Reading the worried comments under the post, Kiran wrote, “Don’t worry guys , if am able to post this. I am fine.” Kiran last starred in the Kannada film Ronny: The Ruler in 2024. He has Jockey 42 lined up. He starred in Hindi and Kannada TV shows such as Tu Aashiqui, Devathe, Kannadathi, and Karna.